Tri-Cities Smokey Air Now Getting Worse Until the Weekend
We were told that we would have relief today (Wednesday) from the horrible smokey air in Tri-Cities, but now officials are saying not only is it not over but it will get worse.
Officials from the Benton-Franklin Health District warn that forest fires in BC Canada have increased causing even more smoke to be pushed into Washington and the Northwest.
The air quality index has been between 150 and 200 all week long and officials are afraid it will move between 200 and 300 late Wednesday through Friday and maybe longer.
A thunderstorm is expected to move into the area late Friday but be too far south to blow out the smoke. Officials also fear the lightning could spark more local fires adding to the smoke problem.
Air with an index of 150-200 is labeled as unhealthy air with 200-300 being labeled "very unhealthy". Even when air is just "unhealthy" the district says that "limit time spent outdoors and limit strenuous activity both outdoors and indoors", according to reports.
If the air quality does go over 200 and become "very unhealthy", "everyone should stay indoors and avoid all strenuous activities" according to the Department of Ecology.
566 fires are burning right now in BC Canada.